Fifty-five percent of respondents to a National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) survey on multifamily construction said they’re experiencing delays due to COVID-19. Of those 55%, 76% are dealing with delays in permitting and 59% face delays in starting construction.

First of a series, the NMHC Construction Survey also found that about a quarter (24%) of respondents said a lack of materials is affecting their construction operations. Another 41% indicated that COVID-19 outbreak-related labor constraints are affecting construction operations.

The NMHC survey also found that 73% of construction firm respondents indicated that they have implemented new strategies to deal with the hurdles forming in the virus’s wake. These strategies include sourcing materials from alternative locations (43%), staggering shifts to reduce on-site exposure (52%), and using technology to replace in-person transactions like inspections and approvals (67%).